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Why Australians are 'putting out their potatoes'

Australians have taken to social media to put out potatoes, jokingly in memory of former Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton’s failed Liberal leadership challenge.

Mr Dutton lost the leadership ballot to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 48-35 on Tuesday morning.

He later told reporters in Canberra he challenged for the leadership because he believed the LNP had a better chance of being re-elected with him in charge at the next election, and that Opposition leader Bill Shorten would be a “disaster” as Prime Minister.

But Twitter users have found humour in a dramatic day for the Coalition with many posting pictures of potatoes outside their homes with the hashtag #PutOutYourPotatoes. It follows past reports Mr Dutton’s nickname in the corridors of power is Mr Potato Head.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Former Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton. Source: AAP
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Former Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton. Source: AAP

“In memory of Peter Dutton’s #libspill challenge,” a Melbourne man tweeted with a potato pictured outside his door.

He later added a picture of more potatoes tweeting, “hidden camera captures Peter Dutton with his 35 supporters during secret party room meeting”.

A woman in Hanoi, Vietnam tweeted “absolutely fitting” adding photos of potatoes and taking a swipe at the former Home Affairs minister’s immigration policies.

A Sydney man simply tweeted “RIP Dutton 2002-2018”.

Twitter users did a similar thing in 2015 when Tony Abbott lost the leadership of the LNP to Mr Turnbull. Many tweeted pictures of onions with the hashtag #PutOutYourOnions.

It followed Mr Abbott’s visit to a farm in Tasmania where he was filmed taking a bite out of an onion.

Mr Dutton was offered the chance to remain in the Home Affairs ministry, but he declined.

Mr Turnbull said the former Home Affairs minister “has done an outstanding job” and thanked him.

“He said to me that he doesn’t feel he can remain in the cabinet, having challenged me to the leadership of the party, and so he is resigning,” he said.

Treasurer Scott Morrison will take on the portfolio until a cabinet reshuffle takes place.